Doubts
by BubblyShell22
Summary: Matt Hardy wonders about the storyline with Jeff. Is he really jealous of his brother, or is that just his character who's the jealous one?


Doubts

A/N: Man, the plot bunnies are really biting at me today. This little muse came to me after watching my Jeff Hardy DVD. I thought about the brother versus brother storyline and how Matt might really be jealous of Jeff despite the fact that it's all supposed to be fake So, this is sort of a character exploration about his feelings and how he knows he shouldn't feel that way. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the WWE Superstars portrayed in this story. I am merely doing this for fun and am making no profit off of this story.

Summary: Matt Hardy wonders about the storyline he has with Jeff. Is he really jealous of his brother, or is it just his character who's the jealous one?

Matt Hardy sat on a crate backstage after his segment with Jeff. The feud was going well, and the fans were responding to it like they should. But something was nagging in Matt's mind that he couldn't let go of. He had been there for his brother since the day he was born. They had dreamed about being WWE Superstars together and had achieved that dream and then some. He was always happy when one of them achieved something no matter what it was. But now, something in him was changing. He'd noticed it after Jeff won the World Heavyweight Championship. Yes, he'd been happy for his brother because it was something they'd both dreamed of doing since they first became wrestling fans. However, he'd also felt a new emotion that hadn't been there for a long time: Jealousy.

Sure, he'd felt jealous before, but not like this. He'd always been hurt whenever anyone talked about Jeff's matches but never once mentioned his own matches and how spectacular they were. While it sucked that fans never noticed him, he'd never really felt ill will toward his brother for it. He'd buried those feelings, reminding himself that he couldn't be jealous of his younger brother. It was his duty to be happy for his brother and to take care of him.

This time was different. His brother had achieved a dream that he himself had wanted and coveted. Why was it that they gave the title to Jeff instead of to Matt? Matt was the one who'd stayed with the company even after the injustice of getting released. He could've walked out then and there, but he'd stayed after WWE gave him that chance. Jeff had walked out numerous times and had made so many mistakes, yet WWE was willing to give him the title despite that. Honestly, it wasn't fair that Matt had to be relegated to the ECW title, a title that really didn't feel like much since the fans weren't happy with the brand anyway. He should be the one on top with the brass ring, not Jeff. He should be the one representing the company, not his younger brother. He was the oldest and deserved to have the top spot because of that.

No! What was the matter with him? Why was he having these horrible thoughts? Jeff was his brother and deserved all the success he could get. Yes, he'd made his mistakes like anyone else, but he'd repented for those mistakes and had made his way back as a respected wrestler. The fans still loved him and supported him despite everything that he'd done. Matt had, too, and had encouraged his brother to work hard and come back because he missed him. Jeff had worked hard and had earned his spot as the Heavyweight Champion. Who was he to take that away from him? Jeff needed all of the morale boosters, and this was the best one. He didn't deserve to have his older brother become some petty jerk just because he hadn't made the top spot.

Jeff saw him sitting on the crate and came over to him. "Hey, great segment out there, man," he said. "You really did good with that slap."

"Yeah, it was good," Matt agreed. His voice was hollow though as he went through what he'd just thought about his brother.

Jeff could sense something was wrong. "You okay, Matt?" he asked. "You look a little down."

Matt sighed. "I don't think this storyline is a good idea," he said. "I really hate acting this way towards you."

"I know, but it's a good thing for our careers," Jeff pointed out. "I mean, we always said we wanted to face each other at Wrestlemania one day. This is our big chance. The fans really like the feud."

"Well, I don't," Matt replied. "It's just not right for me to be this way to you."

"But you love playing the heel," Jeff reminded him. "You're good at it, bro. You've never cared about it before. Why now?"

Matt knew he had to tell his brother the truth. He couldn't keep it bottled up any longer. "Because the truth is, I have been jealous of you," he replied. "When you won the title, I was jealous of you. I wanted to be on top, and I felt that it wasn't fair they were giving it to you. I felt it was wrong because of all the mistakes you made and how I should've had that chance. I know it wasn't the right thing for me to feel, but I did."

"Do you feel that way now?" Jeff asked.

"Sometimes," he admitted. "I keep trying to fight it though and remind myself that you're my brother and I should be happy for you. That's why this storyline is so hard for me. I don't want to feel this way towards you because I've felt it in real life. I know you probably hate me now for telling you this, and I understand if you do."

Jeff listened to his brother's words. He was shocked by what Matt was saying, but he wasn't surprised. Of course Matt would be jealous of him. He was the older brother and always thought that he should be first in everything because of that. "Bro, I don't hate you," he said. "I understand how you feel. If I was in your shoes, I'd feel the same way. But if you ever feel like this again, just tell me. Don't keep it bottled up inside like you have. You know I'm here for you if you need me just like you've been there for me. Don't hesitate to talk to me, okay?"

"Okay," Matt said. He was touched that his brother didn't hate him and that he understood. He decided that going through with this storyline wasn't really a bad thing for them. Like Jeff said, it would be good for their careers, and they'd be achieving another dream together by fighting at Wrestlemania just as they always dreamed. Jealousy didn't have to stand in the way at all. When it came down to it, they were brothers and would always be close.

"Good," Jeff said. "Now, where do you want to eat after the show?"

"I don't know, you pick," Matt replied.

"No, I'm letting you pick," Jeff argued. "You deserve it."

"Okay, how about Denny's?" Matt suggested.

"Sounds good," Jeff said. "Let's go back to the locker room and hang out."

Matt nodded then smiled at his brother mischievously. "Okay, race you!" he said. "Last one there has to join Vince's Kiss My Ass Club."

"Oh, you're on," Jeff laughed, and they raced to their locker room, both finishing at the same time. They agreed that both of them would never kiss Vince's ass but laughed at the idea of one of them doing so. Yes, it was just like old times, and Matt knew that no matter how jealous he would get at times, he was still thankful that he had his brother by his side.

A/N: Yeah, it was a little short, but I had to write this down. So, what did you think of it? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Please feel free to leave a review and let me know. I know Matt probably wouldn't feel as jealous as his character did, but I can see him feeling a little jealousy toward his brother sometimes. Have a shelltastic day.


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